Well, I have made a decision---I am joining the Air Force Nursing Corp. I speak to a recruiter today. I am done complaining and have progressed from anger to acceptance. I have applied to everything under the sun to no avail. Last week I bumped into a girl who graduated with her BSN a year before me. She has gone 16 months and still no job or any prospects of one. I do not want to end up like that. I guess it comes down to what you are willing to sacrifice. I wish things were different,,,,,but they are not. I just have to roll with the punches and do what I have to do to see this thing through. Below are my options:
Try to get into non-paid New Grad internship with hopes of the hospital hiring me. I spoke with the director of the program and she said I have a good chance of getting in. She also said that a job can materialize, but that it is not necessarily the case.
Air Force: 3 year hitch. Would gain unmatchable RN experience, get paid and secure my future by having an impeccable resume.
I'm working on commissioning into the Army Nurse Corps. If that doesn't work out, I'll try for a civilian position somewhere. My BFF from high school is a nurse at a VA facility in Florida and loves it. :) This is also interesting: VA Travel Nurse Corps (TNC) Home
i've been told by numerous, numerous people that it's not a matter of "if" you get deployed, it's a matter of "when" you get deployed. during my chief nurse interview that was brought up as well as my willingness and thoughts of shooting a gun. luckily for me i am an avid shooter so that doesn't bother me. the military definitely isn't an easy out for people to take. it's a different world and a lifetime commitment.
1. Right now it will probably take 6-12 months minimum to get into the AF, and that is if everything goes well.
2. Everyone in the military is expected to be deployable. When you get deployed is highly variable, and depends on the needs of the AF. Nurses aren't ground pounders, especially true in the AF, and so even though you may get deployed to hostile locations it is very rare for military nurses to actually get injured d/t combat/enemy action.
3. Initial military obligations are always 8yrs total. Usually you do a 3-4yr active duty service commitment, and then if you decide to get out at that point then the rest of the time is inactive reserves in which you have no real obligations to the military but can be called back to active duty at any time during that remaining 4-5yrs.
It is 3 years active and 5years inactive reserve. I will be stationed stateside and deployment overseas is guaranteed. Air force deployments are for 6 months. You could be sent to war zone (very likely) or to humanitarian effort (less likely).
right now it is taking about a year (no less) to sign up and go to officer training. I talked to the recruiter a week ago and the earliest I will start is next June or August.
It is 3 years active and 5years inactive reserve. I will be stationed stateside and deployment overseas is guaranteed. Air force deployments are for 6 months. You could be sent to war zone (very likely) or to humanitarian effort (less likely).
AF deployments can be anywhere from 3 months to 12+ months. With the average being 6 months of boots on the ground. The 12 months deployments are usually when we are augmenting Army positions. You can spend an extra 2-3 months away from home training to deploy before actually leaving and this time does not count towards your deployment time.....Just something to consider.
During my job hunt, I seriously thought about joining the Navy Nurse Corps, and spoke to the recruiter. According to him, you spent the first year overseas in one of their bigger hospitals while they try to get you rotation in each of the clinical areas, THEN you are assigned an area. After one year, you MAY apply to switch specialties. Now, with that said...no guarantee you will actually see all specialties, and no guarantees you won't go in a warzone. You also may have to wait upwards of 6 months to begin training.
I ended up finding a job that I enjoy, so...it's on the back burner. Maybe one of these days I'll think about the reserves.
Not to rain on your parade but be careful...I turned in my packet to the army thinking I had it all figured out only to find out that all of the branches are cutting way back on the number of new grad nurses they are signing on in the new fiscal year and that I shouldn't count on even getting into the program. So be sure to ask your recruiter about the numbers in the new fiscal year...
You say you're not finding jobs. Are you looking for areas not in the nursing field? If so, are you finding the BSN to be a detriment?
I realize you got your degree in an area and want to put it to use, but when survival becomes important take something you can get preferably the better option available to you.
Lunah, MSN, RN
14 Articles; 13,773 Posts
Civilian RN jobs are posted on Medical Job Opportunities - Health Care Careers Home (Army) or usajobs.gov.